SS Kanguroo was a French heavy-lift ship built to transport submarines before World War I. She delivered submarines to Brazil and Peru before the war began. Requisitioned in 1914 by the French Navy, she was torpedoed by a German submarine in late 1916 and sunk at Funchal, Madeira.
Kanguroo was a ship built to transport submarines for the shipbuilder Schneider et Cie. The company's submarines were too small and their endurance too limited to cross the oceans on their own. Schneider deemed towing them too risky so the company commissioned a purpose-built ship to deliver them safely to their destination. She was 93 meters (305 ft 1 in) long with a beam of 12 meters (39 ft 4 in) and a draft of 5.95 meters (19 ft 6 in).[1] The 2,493-gross register ton (GRT) ship[2]displaced 5,630 metric tons (5,540 long tons) and could carry out-sized cargo up to 3,830 metric tons (3,770 long tons) in weight. Kanguroo was powered by a 850-metric-horsepower (630 kW) triple-expansion steam engine driving a single shaft that gave her a speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).[1] She had a crew of four officers and eighteen enlisted crewmen.[3]
Bow of the Kanguroo with the plating removed
The ship was essentially a self-propelled floating dry dock with three main sections. The stern contained the engine, bridge, crew accommodations, workshops, pumps, electric generators and storage facilities for the submarine's torpedoes. The submarine's batteries were kept charged during the voyage by the current from the generators. The middle section consisted of a 58-meter (190 ft 3 in) double-hulled well deck with ballast tanks between its inner walls and the outer hull. The well deck had a capacity of 3,300 cubic meters (120,000 cu ft) and was closed off by a pair of water-tight doors at its forward end. The outer plating and structural members of Kanguroo's bow were designed to be partially dismantled to give access to the short tunnel through the bow to the well deck.[4] Additional ballast tanks were positioned below and on each side of the tunnel to raise and lower the bow.[4]
Loading a submarine was a lengthy process that took weeks. The first step was to pump the forward ballast tanks empty which elevated the bow out of the water. Once it was dismantled, the ballast tanks were then filled to lower the bow and flood the well deck to allow the submarine to be winched aboard. The well deck's water-tight doors were then closed and the water in the dock was pumped overboard while the submarine settled onto its wooden bilge blocks. The bow was then reassembled and hatch covers were installed over the well deck. These prevented the ship from taking on water during a storm and allowed the crew to perform any necessary maintenance on the submarine while under way.[5]
Construction and serviceedit
The Peruvian submarine Ferre being loaded aboard Kanguroo
After the start of World War I in August 1914, the French Navy requisitioned the Kanguroo. She was torpedoed and sank at the Port of Funchal, Madeira on 3 December 1916, together with the French gunboat Surprise and the elderly British 1,856-gross register ton (GRT) cable layer SS Dacia, by the German submarine U-38.[7] A total of thirty-three foreign crewmen and eight Portuguese nationals died during the attack. A monument with a sculpture by Francisco Franco de Sousa was raised in 1917 to commemorate the incident.[8]
^Van der Krogt, René & Peter (2014). "Monumento às Vítimas da Guerra". STATUES - HITHER & THITHER. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
Bibliographyedit
Couhat, Jean Labayle (1974). French Warships of World War I. London: Ian Allan. ISBN0-7110-0445-5.
Croce, Alain; et al. (2009). "Question 30/45: Identity of Submarine Docking Ship". Warship International. XLVI (3). Toledo, Ohio: International Naval Records Organization: 199–202. ISSN 0043-0374.
Garier, Gérard (1998). L'odyssée technique et humaine du sous-marin en France. Vol. Tome 2: Des Emeraude (1905–1906) au Charles Brun (1908–1933). Nantes, France: Marines édition. ISBN2-909675-34-3.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to SS Kanguroo.
Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: SS Kanguroo". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net.
SS Kanguroo on wrecksite.eu
April 11, 2024
kanguroo, french, heavy, lift, ship, built, transport, submarines, before, world, delivered, submarines, brazil, peru, before, began, requisitioned, 1914, french, navy, torpedoed, german, submarine, late, 1916, sunk, funchal, madeira, plan, elevation, drawings. SS Kanguroo was a French heavy lift ship built to transport submarines before World War I She delivered submarines to Brazil and Peru before the war began Requisitioned in 1914 by the French Navy she was torpedoed by a German submarine in late 1916 and sunk at Funchal Madeira Plan and elevation drawings of KangurooHistoryFranceNameKangurooNamesakeKangarooOwnerSchneider et CieBuilderForges et Chantiers de la Gironde BordeauxLaunched12 April 1912Maiden voyage1912FateRequisitioned by the French Navy 1914FranceAcquiredRequisitioned 1914FateSunk by U 38 3 December 1916General characteristicsTypeHeavy lift shipTonnage2 493 gross register tons GRT Displacement5 630 t 5 540 long tons Length93 m 305 ft 1 in Beam12 m 39 ft 4 in Draft5 95 m 19 ft 6 in Installed power850 PS 630 kW Propulsion1 Shaft 1 Triple expansion steam engineSpeed10 knots 19 km h 12 mph Capacity3 830 t 3 770 long tons Crew22 Contents 1 Background and description 2 Construction and service 3 References 4 Bibliography 5 External linksBackground and description editKanguroo was a ship built to transport submarines for the shipbuilder Schneider et Cie The company s submarines were too small and their endurance too limited to cross the oceans on their own Schneider deemed towing them too risky so the company commissioned a purpose built ship to deliver them safely to their destination She was 93 meters 305 ft 1 in long with a beam of 12 meters 39 ft 4 in and a draft of 5 95 meters 19 ft 6 in 1 The 2 493 gross register ton GRT ship 2 displaced 5 630 metric tons 5 540 long tons and could carry out sized cargo up to 3 830 metric tons 3 770 long tons in weight Kanguroo was powered by a 850 metric horsepower 630 kW triple expansion steam engine driving a single shaft that gave her a speed of 10 knots 19 km h 12 mph 1 She had a crew of four officers and eighteen enlisted crewmen 3 nbsp Bow of the Kanguroo with the plating removedThe ship was essentially a self propelled floating dry dock with three main sections The stern contained the engine bridge crew accommodations workshops pumps electric generators and storage facilities for the submarine s torpedoes The submarine s batteries were kept charged during the voyage by the current from the generators The middle section consisted of a 58 meter 190 ft 3 in double hulled well deck with ballast tanks between its inner walls and the outer hull The well deck had a capacity of 3 300 cubic meters 120 000 cu ft and was closed off by a pair of water tight doors at its forward end The outer plating and structural members of Kanguroo s bow were designed to be partially dismantled to give access to the short tunnel through the bow to the well deck 4 Additional ballast tanks were positioned below and on each side of the tunnel to raise and lower the bow 4 Loading a submarine was a lengthy process that took weeks The first step was to pump the forward ballast tanks empty which elevated the bow out of the water Once it was dismantled the ballast tanks were then filled to lower the bow and flood the well deck to allow the submarine to be winched aboard The well deck s water tight doors were then closed and the water in the dock was pumped overboard while the submarine settled onto its wooden bilge blocks The bow was then reassembled and hatch covers were installed over the well deck These prevented the ship from taking on water during a storm and allowed the crew to perform any necessary maintenance on the submarine while under way 5 Construction and service edit nbsp The Peruvian submarine Ferre being loaded aboard KangurooKanguroo was launched by Forges et Chantiers de la Gironde on 12 April 1912 at their shipyard in Bordeaux 6 She loaded the Peruvian submarine Ferre on 28 June at Saint Mandrier sur Mer but did not depart for Callao until 30 July She arrived in Peru on 19 October after stops in Sao Vicente Cape Verde Buenos Aires and Montevideo but could not unload the submarine until 29 October The ship delivered Ferre s sister ship Palacios in 1913 and the Brazilian submarine F1 the following year 7 nbsp Kanguroo foreground sinking 3 December 1916After the start of World War I in August 1914 the French Navy requisitioned the Kanguroo She was torpedoed and sank at the Port of Funchal Madeira on 3 December 1916 together with the French gunboat Surprise and the elderly British 1 856 gross register ton GRT cable layer SS Dacia by the German submarine U 38 7 A total of thirty three foreign crewmen and eight Portuguese nationals died during the attack A monument with a sculpture by Francisco Franco de Sousa was raised in 1917 to commemorate the incident 8 References edit a b Croce p 199 Couhat p 247 Garier p 231 a b Croce pp 199 200 Croce p 200 Garier p 233 a b Croce p 202 Van der Krogt Rene amp Peter 2014 Monumento as Vitimas da Guerra STATUES HITHER amp THITHER Retrieved 7 May 2014 Bibliography editCouhat Jean Labayle 1974 French Warships of World War I London Ian Allan ISBN 0 7110 0445 5 Croce Alain et al 2009 Question 30 45 Identity of Submarine Docking Ship Warship International XLVI 3 Toledo Ohio International Naval Records Organization 199 202 ISSN 0043 0374 Garier Gerard 1998 L odyssee technique et humaine du sous marin en France Vol Tome 2 Des Emeraude 1905 1906 au Charles Brun 1908 1933 Nantes France Marines edition ISBN 2 909675 34 3 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to SS Kanguroo Helgason Gudmundur Ships hit during WWI SS Kanguroo German and Austrian U boats of World War I Kaiserliche Marine Uboat net SS Kanguroo on wrecksite eu Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title SS Kanguroo amp oldid 1094894466, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
